"Eunuch Su, there's no need to visit the Prime Minister's residence today. Go back and take a look at this porcelain vase for me," Lanqin said.
Seeing Lanqin's serious expression, Su Peisheng quickly nodded. He was happy that Lanqin wouldn't go out and run around, otherwise he wouldn't be able to handle any trouble that might happen.
The group boarded a carriage and left the most bustling street in Xudu.
After returning to the inn, Lanqin asked Su Peisheng to come with her to her room.
"Consort, what exactly did you buy?" Su Peisheng's interest was piqued by Lanqin's actions.
"Shui Ling, open it and let Eunuch Su take a look!" Lan Qin said.
When the entire item was revealed, Su Peisheng stepped forward to examine it closely.
“Eunuch Su, come and see, this bottle is a fine piece. The seller said it comes from the Western Regions,” Lanqin said.
Su Peisheng looked around, then picked up the bottle by the handle and turned the whole bottle upside down to examine the bottom. Anyone who knows antiques will check the inscription. The inscription on bottles like this should almost always be on the bottom.
“It looks like the bottom of this bottle has been covered with a different kind of porcelain, and there’s no signature on it,” Su Peisheng said.
“Yes, Eunuch Su, you noticed it too. I found it strange, which is why I bought this bottle, which is indeed a fine item. Moreover, that shop has many other collectibles, and the size of that jade cabbage is comparable to the one in Mother’s palace,” Lanqin said.
Su Peisheng understood the meaning behind Lan Qin's words and was greatly surprised, saying, "Master, do you suspect that these things are... are tributes?"
Lanqin nodded and said, "That's right, such a small shop actually has such good stuff, but the price is incredibly low. This bottle is only one hundred taels. It's clear the shopkeeper is eager to get rid of it."
Hearing this, the two maids finally understood why Lanqin had suddenly become interested in the items in that shop, why she insisted on buying them, and why she had even reserved the jade cabbage.
Su Peisheng was stunned upon hearing this. He knew that the theft and sale of tribute was no small matter. It might involve very important issues, so he immediately said, "Consort, this matter should be discussed after the master returns."
“Fourth Master won’t be back for three days. What if the shop owner sells those things? We won’t be able to catch him red-handed then. We should catch him red-handed now and use him as a breakthrough to get him to reveal the mastermind behind it all,” Lan Qin said.
“But we don’t have anyone to raid that antique shop. With just a few of us, we probably can’t stop them,” Su Peisheng said.
Lanqin regretted not taking the piece of paper that Fourth Master had given her that could mobilize the garrison troops. Then she said to Su Peisheng, "Eunuch Su, do you have any way to go to the Xudu Prefecture government office to request troops? This involves tribute, so who should be in charge?"
Su Peisheng was stumped. He was just a eunuch and rarely had the chance to go out, so how could he possibly know anyone?
"Eunuch Su, shall we just report it directly?" Lan Qin said.
Su Peisheng thought about it and realized that this was the only way; they could go to the county magistrate to report it.
"It seems that this is the only way," Su Peisheng said.
Lanqin immediately discussed it with Su Peisheng, and they decided to go to the Xudu Prefecture government office to report it. Selling tribute items without authorization was a capital offense, and the prefecture government office couldn't possibly ignore such a serious matter.
After they ordered food at the inn and finished eating quickly, the group drove their carriage to the Xudu Tongpan Guanfu Yamen (official residence of the Prefect of Xudu).
Gesang drove the carriage to the gate of the Xudu Tongpan Yamen.
Lanqin, supported by two maids, got off the carriage. Su Peisheng had already walked to the entrance of the yamen.
"Consort, shall I go and beat the drum?" Su Peisheng asked Lanqin as he walked to the large drum by the door.
“Okay, let’s go ahead and fight.” Lanqin looked around, then turned to Gesang and said, “You come in with us.”
Gesang nodded and followed Lanqin's two maids up the steps of the Tongpan Mansion.
Meanwhile, in the prefectural office of Xuchang, Prefect Wang was drinking in his third wife's room. The third wife was beautiful and had only recently joined the household; she was very much to Prefect Wang's liking.
Suddenly, the sound of drums booming came from the front gate of the yamen, disturbing Lord Wang's enjoyment. Slightly impatient, he asked the servant outside, "Who's beating the drums outside?"
The man outside came in and said to him, "Sir, a group of people have arrived and are beating drums at the gate."
"Sigh, there's never a moment of peace while we're drinking. Let's go take a look!" Lord Wang said, somewhat impatiently.
"Master, why don't you just let the clerk go and ask first? Why do you insist on going yourself? Some things, even the smallest matters from those common folk, they like to bother you. Wouldn't you be exhausted if you did that?" The Third Madam said sweetly, tugging at Lord Wang's sleeve.
“What the Third Madam says is correct. Let’s have Master Zhou go and ask what it is!” Lord Wang immediately sat back down and said.
The servant left, and Lord Wang continued drinking with his third wife.
Outside, Lanqin and the others had already been led into the main hall by the servants. Above the position of the Prefectural Magistrate hung a plaque inscribed with "A Bright Mirror Hangs High."
A middle-aged man dressed in plain clothes with a goatee walked out. He stood beside the magistrate's desk, not daring to go to the center, and asked Lan Qin and the others, "Who are you down there, and what brings you to beat the drum?"
Seeing this, Lanqin knew that he was definitely not the prefect, but probably a secretary or something similar to the prefect's secretary, so she said loudly, "We want to see the prefect."
When Master Zhou saw the people standing below, their clothes were extraordinary, clearly indicating they were not ordinary people. And now, hearing Lanqin's imposing manner, he realized she was no ordinary woman or child either, so he began to scrutinize them again.
“The Prefect is very busy with official duties, so Madam might as well tell me your intentions first. If it is truly urgent, I will certainly go in and inform him,” said Zhou, the clerk.
When Lanqin saw him speak like that, she gave Su Peisheng a wink.
Seeing that the Prefect of Xudu was putting on such a grand show, actually sending out a mere clerk to meet people, Su Peisheng couldn't help but angrily say, "Quickly invite your Prefect out; our lady has important matters to discuss with him."
Master Zhou looked at Su Peisheng again and noticed that this man seemed different from others. His voice sounded strange, like a man's, yet very sharp.
"Go and inform your master immediately, otherwise, when our master arrives, I'm afraid the magistrate will be offended," Su Peisheng roared again.
Suddenly, Master Zhou realized that the person in front of him looked like a eunuch. Listening to his voice and looking at his expression, this feeling grew stronger and stronger.
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